Chinatown immigration raid “heavy-handed”
Immigration officials who raided restaurants in Chinatown acted in a “heavy-handed” manner, according to Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore. On 24th July, Chinatown protested with a 5 hour shutdown of businesses and a march of a thousand people from London’s Chinese community to the Home Office demonstrating their deep concerns and feelings against what they see as unfair targeting by the Home Office.
The raids had resulted in one elderly lady being taken to hospital, prompting complaints that the frequent enforcement raids often take place without a warrant, happen at peak hours of trading and are often heavy-handed and aggressive, intimidating Chinatown business owners, their workers and their customers, who may not return.
Mr Dismore said:
‘Chinatown is a vital part of London’s economic, culinary and cultural success, and an important link with the emerging economies of Asia. To lose Chinatown would be a disastrous loss of a draw for tourism, business and London residents alike. It is high time the Home Office got their act together and managed immigration enforcement in a more constructive way without ruining relationships with local communities.
‘The “hostile environment” that Theresa May created for immigrants when she was Home Secretary has continued under the current one, Sajjid Javid. The Conservative approach to immigration is somewhat paradoxical; you cannot on the one had call for hard Brexit in the mistaken belief it will help you trade with the rest of the world, then treat your strongest and oldest link with the biggest emerging economy with contempt.’
